Pages

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Practice

This week I've done more serious hooping practice than usual. And by "serious" I mean that I was focusing on actual visual concepts for my sessions instead of just flailing about for exercise and, to a lesser extent, joy.

Interestingly, during a week that has been more emotional and stressful than usual, I found myself heading to the gym to hoop when the eating disorder monster inside was urging me to eat or to not eat. In other words, instead of "eating" my feelings or avoiding them by avoiding meals, I used my hoop to distract me, and then later was able to process my emotions in a healthy way. While I'm practicing hoop dance, I'm also practicing mental health and non-disordered eating. Yay!

Also, I proud of how I'm taking my hoop practice to a more artistic level. I feel a little pretentious calling this video "Hoop Art," but that truly was the intention behind it. No, I'm not going to take this on tour, but it's exciting to discover new ways to move in, through, and around the hoop. Kind of like how I'm also discovering how to move through my emotions healthfully.

What are you practicing this weekend?

(Also, if you're interested, the song in this video is "Egyptic" by Beats Antique. They make my hooping heart go pitter-patter.)

4 comments:

awesome! most definitely art. it was kinda funny when the guys walked in the door and just went about their business. every time you post one of these videos i want to learn to hoop! some of it even seems like yoga-hooping.

Oh those guys so wanted to hoop too! I love this Beth, you are so beautiful and adorable. You are very artistic and even your feet are expressive. Your toes dance!OMG that rotation switching around 3:40 is kick ASS. Whoa nice half moon pose with the hoop! Beth I'm so proud of you for the positive connections you are making with your hooping and ED/emotion management. PS I have serious back envy. Your back muscles are so great.

@ Jennie -- I'm glad you can see that! I was afraid my face was too "I'm concentrating here!" to show that I was loving it, too.@ Clare -- You're too funny. My back muscles say thanks for the ego boost.

“I understood that writing was this: an impulse to share with other people a feeling or truth that I myself had. Not to preach to them, but to give it to them if they cared to hear it.” ― Brenda Ueland